Author Topic: Google ad test (Read 39432 times)

mouser · « **on:** January 27, 2013, 05:36 AM »

Just FYI, I am enabling the google ad on one page on the website (the license key page), for the next 30 days, to see what results it gets. I will report.

Renegade · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2013, 05:38 AM »

I'm quite interested to hear what happens! I just released an Android app with Google ads. Not expecting much, if anything.

mouser · « **Reply #2 on:** February 04, 2013, 07:12 AM »

For those who are curious, after week 1 the google ads on that page are bringing in an average of $2.14 per day.
Going to keep running it for another couple of weeks to see if this changes.

app103 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 04, 2013, 08:32 AM »

Just so you know, Google changed their Adsense policies awhile back to require any website displaying their ads to have and display a privacy policy.

That privacy policy must also mention some stuff pertaining to Adsense ads.

Look under the Google advertising cookies section of this page.

mouser · « **Reply #4 on:** February 04, 2013, 08:41 AM »

Our privacy page is here: https://www.donation...r.com/Help/entry/75/
~~Let me read what has to be added..~~
I've added a link to the google terms.

app103 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2013, 10:17 AM »

There is no link visible on all pages of this site that specifically links to that page and identifies it as the privacy policy. The average visitor to the site is likely to think there is no privacy policy. And what is more important is that it would be likely that Google would think we don't have one, if they were to ever send anyone here to manually check for it. Without it, Google could decide to suspend your Adsense account and/or keep your Adsense earnings.

mahesh2k · « **Reply #6 on:** February 04, 2013, 01:01 PM »

You cant post CTR and earnings on public forum.

rgdot · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2013, 01:12 PM »

Lesson of this thread

Google doesn't allow you to move an inch

mouser · « **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2013, 02:00 PM »

I am trying another advertisement test.

I've re-enabled an old feature of the forum that we experimented with a few years ago that ads an advertisement entry at the bottom of a forum thread with more than a few posts on it. However, it will only show when you are not signed into the forum, so no forum members will see it.

Since these advertisements won't show to signed-in forum members, the real question will be whether such advertisements has any effect of scaring people off or reducing the number of people who sign up to participate on the forum.. If so then they are unacceptable. But rather that hypothesize let's experiment and see how it feels.

ps.
If you deliberately want to see ads in the forum out of curiosity or because you like them, i enabled a kludge:

Go to your Profile Forum Information page.
Find at the bottom where it says "Chance of Displaying Advert. (0-100)" and enter a value of 101, and save.
Now you should see the forum ads on the bottom of any thread with more than a few posts.

app103 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 30, 2013, 08:36 PM »

Find at the bottom where it says "Chance of Displaying Advert. (0-100)" and enter a value of 101, and save.
-mouser (April 30, 2013, 02:00 PM)

I hope you have done this, just to see what kinds of ads are being shown to visitors.

So far, most of the ads I have seen look just like the following:

Google ad test

A big download button with no hint of what it is actually for, that could be easily mistaken by less savvy visitors for a download button of some DC app, if it appears in a thread discussing one, and they are unfamiliar with the site, as would be the case with a first time visitor coming here from clicking a search engine result.

But what is it really for?

It leads to a site with a bit less than a stellar reputation: http://www.mywot.com...d/downloadangels.com

Not really too much info there as to exactly why, until you visit the site in question and notice all the "uninstall" links all over the place and check the reputation of the site they all redirect you to: http://www.mywot.com...recard/mindspark.com

Ah, yes, nasty, nasty toolbars, known worldwide as adware/malware/spyware.

Might want to at the very least, add that one to your adsense blocked urls list. I'll give you the exact url on IRC (you'll need that to block it), next time I see that ad.

mouser · « **Reply #10 on:** April 30, 2013, 08:42 PM »

I have never seen that ad before.. thats ridiculous -- how can google adsense possibly allow that as an ad !?
i am going to add it to blacklist immediately. i am honestly shocked that google would allow such an ad.

in fairness, i have ads enabled and all of the ads i've seen are clear about what they and are clearly normal advertisements, are and none are "click to download" types. for example here's the last one i saw:

Google ad test

so far all the ones i've shown are normal but unrelated to the topic -- maybe that's because it has enough mined data about me that it is trying to show me things it thinks i want regardless of page contents, or maybe that's just because its going to take some time for page contents to be reflected. time will tell.

BUT

the one you are seeing looks pure evil!

app103 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 30, 2013, 08:58 PM »

the one you are seeing looks pure evil!
-mouser (April 30, 2013, 08:42 PM)

And this is why so many people use ad blockers!

tomos · « **Reply #12 on:** May 01, 2013, 07:35 AM »

I thought they were just going to be text ads

Here's what it looks like with FF + adblock extension:

Google ad test

$:-\$

tomos · « **Reply #13 on:** May 01, 2013, 08:29 AM »

Here's what the thread Weather Alert (As service or tray apps) (about flooding in the Philipines) looks like:

Google ad test

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #14 on:** May 01, 2013, 08:38 AM »

in fairness, i have ads enabled and all of the ads i've seen are clear about what they and are clearly normal advertisements, are and none are "click to download" types. ...
-mouser (April 30, 2013, 08:42 PM)

Bad news for you Mouser, more variants of the Green Download bar are back!

GreenBar Faux XPDrivers.png

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #15 on:** May 01, 2013, 08:40 AM »

Then there's these:

I see these as dangerous because they're items we'd all recommend *against* anyone using!

mouser · « **Reply #16 on:** May 01, 2013, 08:42 AM »

We might have to cut this experiment short (or switch to text ads?), as the main effect so far is having my disgust for google quadruple.

I see these as dangerous because they're items we'd all recommend *against* anyone using

agreed -- i see this as a real problem -- the ads that google most wants to put on our pages are programs that we would normally advise against.. i guess that's the main point of advertising.. yuck.

mouser · « **Reply #17 on:** May 01, 2013, 08:50 AM »

What I was hoping was that adsense would show ads strictly based on the content of the thread, but that seems like wishful thinking..

Are there ad services where you can choose and approve a small number of "sponsors" each month, and only show ads from them?

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #18 on:** May 01, 2013, 08:53 AM »

We might have to cut this experiment short (or switch to text ads?), as the main effect so far is having my disgust for google quadruple.

I see these as dangerous because they're items we'd all recommend *against* anyone using

agreed -- i see this as a real problem -- the ads that google most wants to put on our pages are programs that we would normally advise against.. i guess that's the main point of advertising.. yuck.
-mouser (May 01, 2013, 08:42 AM)

Well, for most "plebes", it is! But we're Cody-ites! We're smarter than your average birds! ... or something!

Are there ad services where you can choose and approve a small number of "sponsors" each month, and only show ads from them?
-mouser (May 01, 2013, 08:50 AM)

I still think "Gamifying" ads holds promise - make an ad page, encourage people to go over there, vote on ads, get enlightened companies who aren't afraid of a little parody and free speech, and make it a whole "experience". Hand pick only items you/we approve of to be in the "network".

Blah Blah, I know, "too much work", but then is THAT the limiting factor we're afraid of - that Google Adsense was easy!?

I also still like an approach of the coders custom-adding big features onto their existing apps inspired by one member, but then the feature is there for all. See my discussions with Chris G on Scrappy. Then maybe do a Revenue Share?

mouser · « **Reply #19 on:** May 01, 2013, 09:25 AM »

Ok let's turn the tables on these scammy ads and turn this experiment into a public service

I've modified the ads now so that they are prefixed by this text (subject to improvement):

"During May of 2013 we are experimenting with showing automatic google ads on our forum threads to visitors who are not logged into our forum. The following ad was not chosen or endorsed by our site, but *might* be useful to you.

Be smart and ignore ads recommending some junk registry cleaner or computer speed up service, or ads claiming they've detected something wrong with your computer. When in doubt, post a question on our forum and get real advice from real people!"

If you have suggestion for better wording/warning, let me know.

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #20 on:** May 01, 2013, 10:08 AM »

Ok let's turn the tables on these scammy ads and turn this experiment into a public service

I've modified the ads now so that they are prefixed by this text (subject to improvement):

"During May of 2013 we are experimenting with showing automatic google ads on our forum threads to visitors who are not logged into our forum. The following ad was not chosen or endorsed by our site, but *might* be useful to you.

Be smart and ignore ads recommending some junk registry cleaner or computer speed up service, or ads claiming they've detected something wrong with your computer. When in doubt, post a question on our forum and get real advice from real people!"

If you have suggestion for better wording/warning, let me know.
-mouser (May 01, 2013, 09:25 AM)

That's rather interesting! Does it violate Google's TOS to disparage their ads!? What about going further and hiding it behind a javascript frame or something that does various things to discourage clicking on the ad?

tomos · « **Reply #21 on:** May 01, 2013, 11:23 AM »

I'm sorry to be just negative, but the only way this can be made acceptable imo, is, if the warning were to have a bigger font and a better colour than the download button (red preferably):

Screenshot - 2013-05-01 , 18_21_14.png

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #22 on:** May 01, 2013, 11:38 AM »

I'm with Tomos, the text needs to be more eye-catching. Also maybe split it up so the second paragraph appears below the add to better "outline" the problem area..

Additionally, can we add a sound file that plays a blood curdling scream on mouseover ... Or is that going too far?

mouser · « **Reply #23 on:** May 01, 2013, 12:50 PM »

Ok, here's my latest try:

Google ad test

Too much more warning and we're going to get into the silly zone..

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #24 on:** May 01, 2013, 01:06 PM »

Maybe the Silly Zone is where it belongs!

Does it pay on Ad Impressions or Click Throughs?